Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)
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First published 1976 (SND Vol. X). Includes material from the 2005 supplement.
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.
Quotation dates: 1748-1836, 1934, 1993
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†YOWDER, n., v. Also youder, ewder; yowther, youther, (e)uther, and deriv. forms ewdroch, -uch (see -Och, suff., II. 2.(1)).
I. n. 1. A very unpleasant smell, of fumes from burning (n.Sc. 1808 Jam., ewder, ewdruch; Abd. 1911).Abd. 1748 R. Forbes Ajax 4:
He took to speed o' fit, because He cou'd na' bide the ewder.Sc. 1785 Scots Mag. (Oct.) 504:
The City Guard, a loathsome lodge O' filth an' uther.Ags. 1993 Mary McIntosh in Joy Hendry Chapman 74-5 112:
The fousome guff wis like tae mak him boak but he chockit it back. ... He delascht a roon o billits at the ruif. Aathing went quait. The air wis fou o the yowther an the wheesht dirled his lugs.
2. Steam, smoke or vapour (Mry. 1825 Jam., yowther; Abd. Ib., ewder, ewdruch).Sc. 1814 Illustr. North. Antiq. 271:
The yowther drifted sae high i' the sky The sun worth a' sae red.Abd. 1826 D. Anderson Poems 101:
Garin' their pipes gang like kills, Whilk rais'd a horrid euther O' reek that day.Abd. 1832 A. Beattie Poems 138:
Nor wad it skaum, nor wad it scowder, Though i' the mids o' flaming youder.Dmf. 1836 J. Mayne Siller Gun 89:
Some chaps, bumbaz'd amid the yowder, Pat in the ball before the powder.
3. The fluff or dust of flax (Uls. 1924 Northern Whig (9 Jan.), yowther).Ayr. 1825 Jam.:
There's a ewdroch here like the mottie sin.
¶II. v. Only in ppl.adj. yowtherin, noisome, foul-smelling.Per. 1934 W. Soutar Poems in Scots & English (1961) 106:
Here in the yowtherin vennels I am weirded to dee.
